Lisalona (PTY) Ltd trading as Frutee Belliez is a company that processes bulk fruit and vegetables into fresh cuts. By processing we mean peeling, chopping, and packaging according to the spec of the client. We also mix our produce to fruit and vegetable salads as well as blend the fruit and vegetables to make delicious smoothies.

We also have a different division in the company where we focus on spreading the importance of healthy eating by selling our fruit salads, juices, water and smoothies at events from our branded trailers as well as delivering our products to office spaces. This is also a great way of building brand awareness.

The birth of Frutee Belliez

In 2007, we (Mbaliyethu Mthethwa and Masibonge Mnguni), founded an organisation called GIG (God is good) along with our brother and friends. The purpose was to encourage youth to do good deeds. We used to raise in order to give food to the homeless at Addington Beach, Durban. It was an enriching and humbling experience - being able to give without expecting anything in return.

By interacting with the people at South Beach we got to learn why and how many of them ended up on the streets. As much as they would thank us for the food we have given them, they would always ask us for a job. It happened so frequently that it created a burning desire in us to do something about this problem. We then decided that we would start a business in order to create jobs. At the time, we did not know what the business would be and how we would start, but we knew that even if we would not employ everyone, we would have at least done something about unemployment.

As GIG we had also adopted a school at Umlazi called eMbalasi Primary school. We would raise money to buy school jerseys, school shoes as well as host health awareness days through which we would teach the children the importance of basic hygiene. We would also donate fruits to the school for the kids. The reason why we donated fruit is because growing up in Umlazi, we observed how much easier it is consume junk food, as opposed to healthy and nutritious food.

At the time, Mbali who was working at Nedbank at that time decided to buy different fruits on her way to work. As she was walking to work one day, she said to herself “I can make a fruit salad out of this.”

On the same day, our mother had also bought a fruit salad but said she herself, “I can make this easily myself!”

Then Masibonge who was in the kitchen on very same day and said, “God we need a business idea.” A picture of a fruit salad then popped into her head. When she shared this with the family, they all related their fruit salad revelations they had, had that same day. It was there and then that Frutee Belliez was born. We would put fruits into people’s bellies.

Over the years, we have participated in a number of competitions including the ones listed below:

· Female Farmer by Department of Agriculture 2010: We came first in the province under the Young Processors subcategory

· SAB Kick start 2011: We came first in the province as overall winners

· Daimler-Chrysler Fleet Management 2011: We came second in the province

· uMyezane Business Awards 2017/ 2018: We came second in the province under the Best Youth Owned business subcategory